SEASON 8, EPISODE 11, “A CHRISTMAS THEY NEVER FORGOT”

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MEASURING THROUGH MEMORIES

“Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday.”

—LAURA INGALLS WILDER

Looking at the past reveals not just how much we’ve grown in age, but also in faith. As the Ingalls family gathers around the fire, they share stories of past Christmases. Laura remembers the Christmas snowstorm in the Big Woods and how Mr. Edwards came with gifts for the family. The Ingalls family understands that time goes by fast, but memories stay to remind us of where we’ve been and how we’ve grown.

I wasn’t stuck in a snowstorm like the Ingalls family, but I did travel down memory lane one Mother’s Day weekend. My children and I took a trip to Hume Lake Christian Camp in the Sierra Nevada Mountains—possibly my favorite place on the planet. It’s where I met Jesus and where my faith became real.

The first afternoon, I let the kids relax and went for a run around the lake. The scent of hot pine needles mixed with the dusty trail took me back to my first summer there. I looked around at the trees and realized that they had watched me grow up. And they’d grown with me. We had both endured the harsh winters and hot fires of life. Those trees are still growing, still pointing up to the Creator. As I hope I am.

Christmas memories and important moments in our faith story are worth revisiting. Take time to remember all that God has done in you.

“Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.”

ISAIAH 46:9 NLT

Think of a place where God has spoken to you. Relive those memories and thank Him.